Geoblocking

Email-borne threats continue to challenge organizations the world over. Email spam may be a worldwide phenomenon, but its origins are typically from certain geographic locations or IP addresses. One of the most effective methods of spam filtering is to block an email coming from a certain location. This will block the mail entering the mail server and ultimately, an employees' inbox. This is spam filtering method is called ‘Geoblocking’

What is Email Geoblocking?

Certain countries and IP addresses are renowned, or quickly become known for, sending out spam and phishing emails. Email-borne attacks can be devastating to an organization. By using an email filtering solution with geoblocking, targets of email cyberattacks can stop emails from accessing employees' inboxes, preventing malware and ransomware attacks.

Cybersecurity intelligence on malicious IP addresses and countries of origin of phishing campaigns can be leveraged via email spam filters that have a Geoblocking feature. This spam filter can be used to implement geo-restrictions to block incoming emails based on their origins such as., IP address or geographic location.

Benefits of Email Geoblocking

Ultimately, geoblocking stops emails based in a location or certain IP address from entering an employees' mail inbox, here are the full benefits of email geoblocking:

• Prevent excessive spam cluttering up employees’ inboxes
• Block phishing emails
• Auto-quarantine emails

SpamTitan’s geoblocking functionality restricts emails based on a sender's geographic location or IP address.

Best Practices when Using Email Geoblocking

Deciding on the best Geoblocking solution for your organization can be daunting. To help build your organization's email threat protection here are best practices to follow in evaluating a geoblocking solution:

Granular Choice of Location to Block

Geoblocking should be done at a granular level to ensure effective control. This can be done on a per country, multiple countries, basis, or by IP address or IP range.  An email fileting solution should have a Country IP Database that enables a simple setup of country-level Geoblocking filters.

Geoblocking Exemptions

It's important for organisations to have the ability to set up exceptions to the Geoblocking rules to ensure that legitimate emails are delivered. These exemption rules are typically based on a trusted sender's IP, domain, or email address. This granular level of control is essential to effective Geoblocking.

Easy Configuration and Administration

An email filtering solution without an easy-to-use interface, the granular level of configuration needed for effective Geoblocking will be difficult to achieve. A Geoblocking solution must provide highly configurable, rules-based, settings that are easy to implement from a central console. Flexibility in configuration is key to an effective Geoblocking solution.

Geoblocking should be used in Cohesion of with other Email Filtering Methods

Geoblocking, alone, is not enough to prevent spam emails. Cybercriminals are becoming more intelligent and attacks are more sophisticated than ever. Geoblocking should be used as a layer in a multi-layered approach to email security, and should not be used as a lone barrier against email threats.  Email fraudsters are constantly changing cyber-tactics and only by applying multiple filter methods can spam and phishing be successfully blocked.

SpamTitan Email Protection protects against email phishing and malware threats in real-time using advanced machine learning and a multi-vectored approach to scan emails:

• Realtime Blackhole Lists (RBLs)
• Recipient Verification
• Sender Policy Framework (SFP)
• Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM)
• Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC)

Geoblocking must be Flexible and Part of a Layered Email Filtering

Geoblocking is a fundamental layer of email spam filtering. The ability to block email threats using a specified geographic location or IP address/range is an essential feature of a modern, smart, email filter solution. Geoblocking filters add a layer of control to create a more sophisticated spam filter as used alongside other filter options such as SPF, SURBL’s RBL’s & Bayesian analysis.  Multi-layered email filters work for organizations of all sizes and all sectors, including SMBs, MSPs, schools & universities to reduce threat vectors in known geographies or specific IP addresses and IP ranges.

With the rise of email-borne attacks continuing to place organizations around the world over at risk, having an additional level of control can help to close off the paths to ransomware, phishing, data breaches, zero-day attacks and other cyber threats is critical.

SpamTitan Geoblocking

SpamTitan’s geoblocking functionality restricts emails based on a sender's geographic location. A SpamTitan administrator can define rules to restrict emails from a selected country, however allows for exemptions to geoblocking rules in order to exclude mail based on a sender's IP, domain, or email address.

Geoblocking can be enabled or disabled at a global level and once enabled, it can be managed at the admin, domain group, domain, and user levels. Each level can apply its own geoblocking rules, with rules being inherited from a higher level by default. See more information on SpamTitan Geoblocking.

Test try SpamTitan’s Geoblocking features for free for 14-days. Start free trial today